Journal Article

Linkage to hepatitis C care after incarceration in jail: a prospective, single arm clinical trial

MacDonald, Ross, Jordan, Alison O., Akiyama, Matthew J., Litwin, Alain H., Schwartz, Jessie, Carmody, Ellie, Columbus, Devin, Eckhardt, Benjamin

2019

Overview

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health problem in correctional settings. HCV treatment is often not possible in U.S. jails due to short lengths of stay. Linkage to care is crucial in these settings, but competing priorities complicate community healthcare engagement and retention after incarceration. Methods We conducted a single arm clinical trial of a combined transitional care coordination (TCC) and patient navigation intervention and assessed the linkage rate and factors associated with linkage to HCV care after incarceration. Results During the intervention, 84 participants returned to the community after their index incarceration. Most participants were male and Hispanic, with a history of mental illness and a mean age of 45 years. Of those who returned to the community, 26 (31%) linked to HCV care within a median of 20.5 days; 17 (20%) initiated HCV treatment, 15 (18%) completed treatment, 9 (11%) had a follow-up lab drawn to confirm sustained virologic response (SVR), and 7 (8%) had a documented SVR. Among those with follow-up labs the known SVR rate was (7/9) 78%. Expressing a preference to be linked to the participant’s existing health system, being on methadone prior to incarceration, and feeling that family or a loved one were concerned about the participant’s wellbeing were associated with linkage to HCV care. Reporting drinking alcohol to intoxication prior to incarceration was negatively associated with linkage to HCV care. Conclusion We demonstrate that an integrated strategy with combined TCC and patient navigation may be effective in achieving timely linkage to HCV care. Additional multicomponent interventions aimed at treatment of substance use disorders and increasing social support could lead to further improvement. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04036760 July 30th, 2019 (retrospectively registered).

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Analysis / Care and treatment / Clinical trials / Community Health Services / Continuity of Patient Care / Continuum of care / Drinking (Alcoholic beverages) / Ex-convicts / Female / HCV / Health aspects / Hepatitis and co-infections / Hepatitis C / Hepatitis C - drug therapy / Hepatitis C - virology / Hepatitis C virus / Hispanic Americans / Humans / Infectious Diseases / Internal Medicine / Jail / Linkage to care / Male / Medical Microbiology / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental disorders / Mentally ill persons / Methadone - therapeutic use / Middle Aged / New York / Parasitology / Patient Navigation / Prison / Prisoners - statistics & numerical data / Prisons / Prospective Studies / Public health / PWID / Research Article / Social support / Substance abuse / Substance-Related Disorders - therapy / Sustained Virologic Response / Tropical Medicine